A headset system comprises a headset, often designated “portable part”, coupled to a base unit, often designated “fixed part”, through a wired or wireless communication channel or line. Such headset systems are well-known in the art. Headsets are highly popular communication devices in wide-spread use since they facilitate hands-free working efficiency and wireless mobility allowing one-way or two-way communication between a headset user and a distant talker.
The base unit is normally connected to a desktop phone or switch board via a wired two-way communication interface allowing the user to initiate, answer and end telephone calls through the headset by appropriate manipulation of control buttons or switches on the headset or the base unit.
Large enterprises such as call-centres or office environments typically comprise a large number of individual headsets systems such as more than 50, 100, 1000 or even more headset systems.
The base units of these headset systems may need to be configured with the same and appropriate base configuration parameters to provide a uniform standardized setup throughout the enterprise. However, in prior art headset systems programming/configuration or re-programming/re-configuration of the base units have been effected by applying complex actuation patterns to certain push or switch buttons residing on the base unit housings. For setups or installations with a large number of headset systems, this methodology for configuration of base units tends to be time-consuming for the system administrator or tedious and error-prone if carried out by the individual headset users.
Since these headset systems often lack traditional data network connectivity (save for the actual telephone network itself) that would allow traditional mass deployment tools to be used to configure or re-configure the large number of base units, an efficient and safe procedure for configuring or re-configuring the large number of base units with the same base configuration parameters is highly desirable.
In the present base context configuration parameters at least comprise parameters relating to interface settings between the base unit and a telecommunication device such as a desktop phone or a computer device hosting a softphone application. The interface settings including e.g. termination switch setting, microphone gain setting, transmit volume setting, hook-switch protocol selection, RF range/RF power selection, sound mode selection, audio sampling frequency, protection level selection (e.g. IntelliTone®) etc.
These base configuration parameters are distinct from personal or user-adjustable preference parameters like volume setting, frequency response equalization, etc.
EP 2204972 A1 discloses a complex automated setup routine that must be carried out for each individual headset system to configure e.g. termination switch settings and microphone gain of the headset system's telephone interface unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,635 B1 discloses a headset with built-in memory to store user specific parameter settings relating to headset performance characteristics. A host adapter may communicate with the headset through a serial communication port of the headset. The host adapter may read the headset performance characteristics and adjust signal transmitted to and received from the headset in accordance thereto.